The Lion's Castle (The Lion Princes Book 1)

by Chase, Leslie

  He turned and grinned at her, making her blush but not look away. It would take more than a little embarrassment to tear her eyes off his sexy body.

  "I sleep lightly," he told her, looking her up and down with unabashed interest. "Come on, let's get up — I want to do something with you today."

  Anna felt her blush deepen and giggled. She couldn't help herself.

  "Not that," he said, shaking his head in mock disapproval before relenting. "Well, okay, yes, that too — but not right away. I've got other things in mind first, and you have to give a man a chance to recover."

  "I didn't think you'd have any trouble with stamina given last night," Anna managed to say past the giggles. His grin widened and he took her arm, pulling her away to the bathroom.

  The shower took far longer than it would have if she'd been alone, but she didn't have any complaints about that. Washing with Roman was quite an experience, though it wasn't very efficient. He was, to be sure, very thorough, making sure every inch of her got his attention, and she did her best to return the favor.

  Eventually, though, they emerged to share a breakfast on the same balcony that she'd eaten on the day before. In the early morning, the view was even more striking. Golden sunlight washed over the country and it looked like something out of a painting.

  The food was, if anything, better than yesterday. Anna wondered if that was a subtle dig from the chef about their kicking him out of his kitchen last night, a way for him to show off that he was the expert. Or maybe it was just that they were eating breakfast at breakfast time, rather than in the afternoon. Whatever the reason, it was delicious, and she had to stop herself from going back to try everything that was on offer.

  It would be easy to get fat living here, she realized as she made herself push back her plate. Not a problem that she would ever have considered before, but then she'd never had much reason to think about living in a castle before. Sneaking a look at the man across from her, she admired Roman's figure again. He, at least, hadn't given in to the temptation of all this food. Though of course he hadn't lived there anymore than she had.

  But as he tore into the breakfast, eating hearty portions, she couldn't imagine him letting it get the better of him. No man who had the discipline to keep his body in the excellent shape Roman did would.

  Once they were done eating, Roman went to the railing at the balcony's edge and looked out over the mountains. Joining him, Anna looked down to the road snaking along the mountain pass far below them. The castle was like a fairytale, and that was a road back to the real world and her obligations.

  "I want to take you into town, Anna," Roman said. His voice was serious now, and when she looked over at him, she saw that he was watching her with an intensity that bordered on the frightening.

  "Why? Can't we just stay here?" She didn't want to have to face reality again, not so soon. Not at all, if she was honest with herself.

  "No," Roman's voice was firm, though not unkind. "I have business to attend to in town, and I won't let fear of some assassins keep me from it. You could stay, but I don't think that's a good idea. The longer you put off going, the more frightening it will be. And while I want you to stay by my side forever, I don't want it to be because you're afraid of leaving this castle."

  He smiled at that, but Anna couldn't bring herself to share the joke. Sighing, she looked back at the road below.

  He's right, of course, even if he doesn't know what he's right about. I can't put this off forever. But do I really have to face it today? She shook her head. No, Roman was right about that too. Every day she put off facing her responsibilities would only make it harder to deal with them.

  I've got to deal with this sometime, and it's only going to get harder. So come on, Anna, face your fears! Maybe, if I talk to my father, I can convince him that Roman isn't the enemy. She tried to be positive about it. They all wanted what was best for the country, after all.

  "Fine," she said eventually. "Let's go into town. You can do your thing and I can maybe meet up with my family for a bit."

  "Great!" Roman's enthusiasm made her wonder if he'd missed her glumness. But a glance at him showed the concern in his eyes — he was trying to brighten her mood, not ignore it. Anna managed a wan smile up at him and took his offered hand, letting him lead her away.

  * * *

  Roman tried to enjoy the drive down from the castle, but something was getting in the way. It wasn't the drive itself, though the road was narrow, winding, and on one side there was a huge drop. That only made it an exciting drive, and he enjoyed pushing the car's performance. The feel of the car in his hands, the power and responsiveness of it as he raced down the deserted road, were exhilarating.

  But Anna was quiet enough to concern him.

  If he'd thought it was because of his driving, he might have slowed down. But she'd been withdrawn since the moment he suggested going into town. Part of the reason he was pushing himself was that he wanted to draw her out of that mood, to give her some excitement to distract her from the worries in her head. Driving fast always helped him forget his worries and he hoped it would work for her too.

  A quick glance at her showed Roman that he was having some success at least. Anna smiled, and while it wasn't her brightest smile, it was better than the grim look she'd had when they got into the car. Roman grinned too, putting his foot down and accelerating. It wasn't just that he was helping her - the fact that she trusted him like this made him feel alive.

  He could feel her next to him, her emotions strong across the bond between them. She didn't seem frightened to him, not as much as she had been, anyway. Her feelings were a confused mix, as they'd been since he met her, but there was less fear there and more determination and resignation. He hoped that it wasn't resignation to another attack, but what could he do to distract her?

  If racing down the narrow mountain road wasn't enough to pull her all the way out of her head, he didn't know what would be. But he promised himself that he would find something.

  Soon the mountain road gave way to the more traveled road that led to the capital, and he slowed to match the traffic. A quick glance at Anna showed him that, despite her quiet, she was still smiling. It wasn't a great smile, it was small and a little sad, but it was better than nothing. He smiled back, enjoying the sight of her with her hair tousled by the wind. She looked wonderful, and he couldn't bear to see her upset.

  I made her smile, that's a start. But I can do better, he told himself.

  In the rear-view mirror he saw the security detail Sophie had insisted on was catching up with them. Their heavy black SUV hadn't been able to handle the road nearly as well, and he was sure he'd annoyed the team who were trying to keep up. Roman couldn't help grinning at that — was it his fault that they weren't able to stay with him? But he tempered his joy, knowing that they were there to help. Sophie might be over-protective of the princes at the moment, but she was trying to help.

  So he kept his speed to a more reasonable pace as they entered the city, and made sure that they could stay with him. He didn't expect an attack, but he wasn't going to get them in trouble if there was any trouble. And who knew? Maybe they would be able to help.

  It didn't take long to reach his destination in the heart of the city. Parking, he jumped from the car and opened her door for her, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet. The security team parked across the road from them, maintaining a discrete distance.

  Anna looked around the street as though she expected assassins to leap from behind every lamppost. Her hand was tense in his, her face was pale, and once again Roman wondered if she was in some kind of trouble herself. Maybe it is her the assassin was after. I shouldn't assume it's all about me, after all. But then, why would they be using silver bullets? Anna isn't a shifter.

  He shelved those thoughts for later, knowing there wasn't anything to do about them now. When no attackers appeared, Anna took a deep breath and relaxed slightly. She even managed a small smile up at him.

&
nbsp; "Where are we going?" She looked around again, this time looking at her surroundings rather than for hidden attackers. Roman watched her eyes widen as she took in the shop fronts around them. They weren't gaudy or extravagant displays, but they didn't need to be. The jewelers on this street were the best in the country, and that meant they were some of the best in the world. Leotania wasn't famous for its jewelers, but that was only because they were so exclusive. Roman didn't expect that Anna would have heard of any of shops on this street. Few people had; they weren't the kind to be famous outside of a very elite circle.

  "Come on," he urged her, grinning as he led her through the nearest door. Inside, the shop was small and there weren't many pieces on display. There didn't need to be: every item was a beautiful one of a kind masterpiece, and the place looked more like a fairytale cave of wonders than a shop. Each item had its own display despite the small space available, and each looked like it was fit for a queen to wear.

  Anna gasped as she saw what she'd walked into, and Roman felt her hand tighten on his. Looking at her as she crossed the threshold, he watched as her trepidation was swept away by a feeling of wonder. That's more like it!

  "Welcome, Your Highness, welcome, and please accept my condolences on your loss," a small, elderly man said as he emerged from a back room. "The late King's passing is a blow to us all. I am Henri. How may my humble shop be of service to you?"

  "You can call me Roman, for a start," Roman rumbled, closing the door behind him.

  "As Your Highness wishes," Henri replied with an impish grin, and Roman couldn't help laughing. The old man clearly liked his protocol, and who was Roman to deny him that? Well, I am the customer, he thought. But he shook his head. If the master craftsman he was here to see wanted to use his title, it would be disrespectful to deny him that small pleasure.

  "We're here to get something special for Anna," he said, gesturing to his mate who was still staring around at the wonders on display. Henri nodded quickly, stepping out from behind his counter and looking at her appraisingly.

  "If I may, madam," he said, taking Anna's wrist and holding it up. His fingers moved expertly, measuring and assessing, and in a few moments he nodded. "Your Highness, I think I have just the thing."

  He took a moment more to look at Anna's hand and then hurried into the back of the shop. Anna turned back to Roman, confusion written across her face and her eyes wide.

  "Roman, you can't, this is too much," she said in an urgent whisper. "Anything here has to be worth a fortune."

  "Nothing less would be worthy of you, my darling," Roman countered. "Henri is one of the best there is, and you deserve only the very best."

  She blushed at that, stammering something and shaking her head, and Roman grinned. "Don't worry about the cost. You're worth it to me. This much and more."

  Before she could formulate a reply, Henri was back, carrying a small box which he put down on the counter and opened. Roman put his arm around Anna's shoulders, guiding her to see what it was the master jeweler had produced for them.

  His eyes widened as he saw it. Light glistened off the elegant silver and gold bands which wound around one another in a pattern that looked simple at first glance but grew more complex as the eye tried to follow it. Henri beamed at their reactions as he lifted it carefully from the case, reaching out to take Anna's hand. She let him slip the bracelet over her wrist and it sat there perfectly, as though made for her.

  Henri was possibly the greatest silversmith in the world, and one of the very few who made jewelry for the royal family. There was a tradition, one Roman doubted that Anna knew, of the lion princes giving their human mates silver gifts as a sign of trust. The metal was one of the few weaknesses of the shifters, after all.

  The bracelet shone in the light, and Roman nodded respectfully to Henri. It was perfect.

  As Roman watched, Anna raised her arm up, admiring the beautiful simplicity of the piece, and then turned to him. Tears glistened in her eyes and her mouth worked wordlessly. Flinging her arms around his neck she clung to him, and he could feel her heart race as she whispered a thank you into his ear.

  Behind the counter, Henri grinned up at him, and Roman returned the smile. Yeah, if this man wants to call me by a funny title, he can, Roman thought. Anyone who can help me make Anna this happy has earned that.

  13

  Leaving the jeweler's shop, Anna felt like she was walking on air. The bracelet on her wrist felt right somehow in a way that nothing else she'd ever worn had, and she loved it more than she could express. Roman chuckled fondly, apparently amused as he watched her sneak glances at it.

  "I have to see my banker about a few things," he said, taking her hand and raising it to his lips for a kiss. "You can come along if you want, but it will be deadly dull — if I could get out of it I would, but this isn't something that can be put off."

  Anna felt her lip quirk at that. Goodness knows how much he'd just spent on a unique piece of jewelry for her, and he did that before he checked his bank account?

  "Why don't you take the chance to do a little shopping?" he continued. "As soon as I'm done with my bank, we'll meet up again. Take one of the security guys with you, they'll be in contact anyway and that way I'll know you're safe"

  Anna nodded, feeling her positivity drain and her fears rush back in. The jeweler and his little shop of wonders had pushed all her worries down for a few minutes, which just made it more painful to face them now. But she had to face reality sometime, and there was no point in putting it off. If Roman was going to be elsewhere, that gave her a chance to contact her family.

  I guess I'm out of excuses now. Damn. At least, as long as I can ditch the security agent.

  "That sounds like a good idea," she said out loud, trying to keep a bit of enthusiasm in her voice. The look on Roman's face told her that she hadn't entirely succeeded. "I don't need the security, though, I'd be embarrassed walking around town with a guard. Give me your number? Then I can let you know where I am when you're done."

  Hopefully that would do some good. The cell network in Leotania was in shambles, even in the capital. It was as though the country was just dragging itself into the present, weighed down by its past. Probably because it's been ruled by an ancient king for so long, she thought, looking up at one of the mourning plaques that hung along the street memorializing the late king. He had distrusted the modern and high technology world of the 21st century, and it showed.

  But she couldn't very well meet her family while being tailed by a security officer. Roman exchanged numbers with her, and at least here in the city they seemed to have signal. As long as she stayed in the city center, they'd be able to find each other, and she didn't intend to go far. Roman kissed her on the cheek before setting off to meet his banker, and then she was alone.

  She made her way along the street, looking up at the old buildings. The shopping district sprawled around her. She'd love to throw herself into the shops, but she knew that she'd only be giving herself an excuse to delay. There were important things to get on with, and the longer she left them the harder they'd get.

  Taking out her phone again, she checked her messages. While she'd been in the castle and out of network range, her sister left her half a dozen messages, and her father had left one. She frowned at that, feeling abandoned. Just one attempt to contact her? But she supposed it made sense. Until she'd been able to call them, he couldn't have known what was going on or if it was safe to contact her. She had been in the lion's den, after all.

  Chewing her lip, she decided to contact her sister first and sent a text telling her that she was back in the city. Her heart sank as she wrote it — it was like stepping out of a wonderful dream. But she had no choice, she couldn't simply walk away from them. Message sent, she wondered what to do while she waited for a response.

  On the other hand, it had been a while since breakfast and their exertions the night before had left her hungry.

  That problem, at least, was easy enough to solve. There
was a place on the corner, Colso's Bar, that served food and looked like it would do just fine. Slipping inside, Anna decided to treat herself. It wasn't as though she'd been sticking to her diet anyway: the food in the castle was simply too tempting.

  Settling into a booth at the back of the bar, somewhere nice and private, she sent another text to her sister letting her know where she was. She was a little surprised that she hadn't gotten a response to her first message yet, and left her phone on the table to make sure she'd see the reply the moment it turned up. Nothing I can do about it, she thought. If Victoria's busy, she's busy. Making an effort to keep calm, she scanned the menu, glad that she'd chosen a simple and straightforward place to eat. She didn't feel up to making any complicated decisions, so she waved over a waiter to order a burger and fries.

  "Good choice, I'll have the same," Victoria said, slipping into the booth opposite her. Anna nearly jumped out of her skin at her sister's sudden appearance, staring at her for a moment unable to speak.

  "How did you get here so quickly?" she finally managed to get out. Victoria laughed and shook her head.

  "We've been waiting to hear from you since you called, sis," she said. "Ready to go at a moment's notice. So as soon as you sent your text, we were on the move. I'm just the advance scout, though, here to make sure you're okay."

  "I'm fine! Why wouldn't I be fine?"

  "You were in the enemy's hands for a whole day, sis. I was worried." No mention of how their father felt, Anna noticed. Probably the old man hadn't felt anything but concern that she'd mess things up.

  "I'm fine," she repeated. Victoria looked at her, a measuring gaze that Anna returned with a glare. After a moment, the other woman shrugged and smiled.

  "Good, I'm glad to hear it," she said, looking around the room again. The bar was nearly empty apart from the two of them. Lowering her voice, she continued. "So where's the target?"